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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28486140">Apollo and the Drunk</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doitlikeagreaser/pseuds/Doitlikeagreaser'>Doitlikeagreaser</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Les Mis Disney AUs [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Les Misérables - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Amnesia, Asexual Enjolras, Combeferre &amp; Enjolras Platonic Life Partners, Enjolras/Grantaire-centric, Gen, Good Friend Combeferre, Grantaire is a Mess, M/M, Multi, Non-Binary Jean Prouvaire, Period Typical Attitudes, Pining Courfeyrac, References to Canon/Classic Lit/Vines/you name it, Slow Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:08:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,853</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28486140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doitlikeagreaser/pseuds/Doitlikeagreaser</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In order to save his amnesic friend from the solitary beast who lives in the castle in the woods, Enjolras takes his place as the beast's prisoner and discovers that perhaps there is more to this beast than meets the eye.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bahorel/Feuilly (Les Misérables), Combeferre &amp; Enjolras (Les Misérables), Combeferre/Courfeyrac (Les Misérables), Cosette Fauchelevent/Marius Pontmercy/Éponine Thénardier, Enjolras &amp; Les Amis de l'ABC, Enjolras/Grantaire (Les Misérables), Grantaire &amp; Les Amis de l'ABC, Joly/Bossuet Laigle/Musichetta, Montparnasse &amp; M. Thénardier (Les Misérables), Montparnasse/Jean Prouvaire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Les Mis Disney AUs [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1522448</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Posting this for a friend, as always! Kudos and comments are really appreciated, but please keep your feedback positive/constructive!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart could ever desire, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and cruel. But one winter’s night, a beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose, in return for shelter from the cold weather. </p><p>Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the woman away. She warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. When he dismissed her again, the woman’s ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress named Fantine. </p><p>The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for Fantine had seen that there was no love in his heart. As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a spell on the castle, and all who lived there. </p><p>Ashamed of his monstrous form, the prince concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose Fantine had offered him was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom for a few more years. If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. </p><p>As the years passed, the prince fell into despair and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Enjolras made his way to town to return his books to the library, watching the little village wake up. He wondered when the time would catch up with modern technology. They were so far behind. </p><p> “Hello, monsieur,” he said politely to the baker, who had out his tray like always. </p><p>“Where are you off to today, Enjolras?” the baker asked, helping someone pay for their goods. </p><p>“The library, I just finished a great textbook about Roman government--”</p><p>“That’s nice,” the baker said distractedly, then yelled into the bakery, “Hurry up with those loaves! No one should be able to tell that old man stole one last night!”</p><p>“I would suggest you shouldn’t shout that,” Enjolras muttered, walking away. </p><p>The townsfolk took an interest in the young man. He was a very handsome fellow, with all the charisma anyone could ever be possessed with, but he was rather odd. For one thing, he was very interested in various types of government, and how to improve them. Secondly, he had a roommate who everyone believed to be quite mad. He also didn’t like to socialize, mostly keeping to himself and not bothering anyone with his problems. </p><p>When he got to the library, he came in to find Mabeuf, the librarian, sorting through the many books he had. </p><p>“Ah! My favorite and only customer!” the old man said, shaking his hand. </p><p>“I came to return the book I borrowed,” Enjolras answered, going over to the shelf, “Have you gotten anything new since I last came?”</p><p>“Not since yesterday,” Mabeuf said, taking the book with surprise. “Make sure you don’t break the ladder.”</p><p>Enjolras looked through the books, then pulled out a worn volume. “I’ll borrow this one if that’s okay.”</p><p>“Well, no one else comes here,” Mabeuf said with a shrug. “You bring it back whenever you want, if you want to keep it, that’s fine, too.”</p><p>“Thank you, sir,” Enjolras said, smiling at the man. Though he didn’t talk to him much, he thought he was nice. </p><p>As he left the building, he ignored the people who had been watching him. He hated that people would stare at him. He didn’t think he was particularly interesting, but there were a few people who took an interest in him. </p><p>From a shadowy alleyway, Thenardier watched with his gang as the young man made his way home. </p><p>“People like that boy, don’t they, Guelemer?” he said softly, eyes glowing. “It would be quite an honor to have him in the gang, eh?”</p><p>“You know he wouldn’t do it, boss,” Guelemer grumbled, picking at his arm. “He’s too goody-goody to be caught hanging around with us.”</p><p>“Trust me, anyone will do anything with enough persuasion,” Montparnasse growled from the darkness. </p><p>“Except wear a sand-coloured dress,” Babet replied, smirking.</p><p>“Shut up,” Montparnasse hissed. “I am not sneaking into a women’s apartment building in a garment that doesn’t even suit my color palette. I thought you knew that pale skin looks bad with that color.”</p><p>“You are an absolute pansy, Montparnasse, but he is right, Babet,” Thenardier said with a little smirk. “Anyone will anything if they get the right advertisement.”</p><p>“I’ll get the knife!” Montparnasse volunteered excitedly, clapping and hopping up and down. </p><p>“No,” Thenardier said quickly, “If we go too far too fast, you know what’ll happen, You just have to ease him in, then he’ll be interested.” He walked away briskly, splashing mud on Montparnasse’s boot.</p><p>“I just cleaned these!”</p><p>“Hello, Enjolras,” Thenardier said in an overly-friendly manner.</p><p>“Bonjour, Monsieur,” Enjolras replied, already having his nose in the history of Greek democracy. Thenardier pulled the book out of his hands. </p><p>“Could I have my book, please?”</p><p>“Enjolras, you’re such a young man, you should be out partying and being like other men your age, finding yourself a girl, you know, not worrying yourself with all this logic. That’s for old people,” Thenardier said, tossing the book. </p><p>Montparnasse, who was right behind him, got splashed by the puddle it landed in. He let out a loud whine, then proceed to clean his black silk scarf. “This is discriminatory!”</p><p>“You’re primaeval,” Enjolras replied, having an excuse to use the new word his roommate had taught him. </p><p>“Why, thank you, sir,” Thenardier said as if being called behind the times was a compliment. “Now, I had something I wanted to talk with you about. Mind joining me at the inn?”</p><p>“I’m sorry, but I’ve got plans,” Enjolras said, hoping for an escape. He did not want to get involved in any kind of social gathering today, especially not with a couple of shady criminals. “I’ve got to help my friend with an experiment of his.”</p><p>“What, are you blowing up the house again?” Montparnasse grumbled, “Or has your crazy friend given up?”</p><p>“Don’t talk about him like that,” Enjolras snapped, “Combeferre’s really smart, and he knows what he’s doing.” Suddenly there was a massive bang from the house, smoke billowing out of the chimney. Enjolras turned to get home, leaving Thenardier and Montparnasse to laugh, and Thenardier slapped Montparnasse so hard on the back he fell. </p><p>“What do I have to do around here to not get dirty?” Montparnasse whined from the ground. </p><hr/><p>When Enjolras got to the house, Combeferre was pulling himself off the floor, coughing. “What did you do?”</p><p>Combeferre adjusted his glasses and looked at the blown-out vial in his hand. “The disease remains incurable.”</p><p>“Well, one day, you’ll do it,” Enjolras said, patting his friend on the back. </p><p>“How was the town?” Combeferre asked, starting to clean the workspace. </p><p>“It was nice, I guess, I got a new book,” Enjolras said, then frowned in thought. “Do you think I’m weird?”</p><p>Combeferre stood up from where he had been wiping the underside of the table with some goop on his glasses that made him look bug-eyed. “Where would you ever get the idea that <em>my</em> roommate would ever be odd?”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because I don’t have anyone to talk about changing governments with and everyone looks at me like I’m some religious figure?” Enjolras offered, sitting down. “I just feel like no one takes me very seriously around here.”</p><p>“No one takes me seriously either,” Combeferre laughed, “But you shouldn’t be too worried about the world-changing. When it changes, it will change. For now, worry about making some other friends. People need more than one friend and not ones who people think need therapy.”</p><p>“Then why don’t you have more friends?” Enjolras asked, handing his friend another rag. </p><p>“Because I think I need to figure myself out a bit more before I do that,” Combeferre replied, looking at his left hand. “I wish I knew why I had this ring, and why I have a picture of a very handsome young man in my watch that I don’t know, and why I feel like I’m forgetting a large part of my life.” He sat up quickly, accidentally hitting his head on the chair. “Ow. And by the way, I had another one of those dreams last night.”</p><p>“What, the ones you can’t remember but you wake up and can’t focus on anything?” Enjolras laughed, patting his friend’s shoulder. “One day you’ll figure out all these bizarre occurrences.”</p><p>“Wait, don’t you have a few friends? I saw you out walking with someone out there,” Combeferre asked as he mixed some new chemicals.</p><p>“Who, Thenardier and his gang? They just harass me to join their crew,” Enjolras explained, “They’re not right for me, Combeferre.” </p><p>“Okay, so I have this formula,” Combeferre said a few minutes later. “I’m going to put this on the sample.” He dribbled the substance, and the sample turned black. “It worked. It actually worked.” His eyes widened, then he started hopping up and down, clapping. “I did it!”</p><p>Enjolras stood up and gave his friend a hug. “So, are you thinking of going to that science fair next week?”</p><p>“Absolutely,” Combeferre said with a nod. “Can you stay at home and make sure those criminals don’t break in and steal my cyanide? That would be dreadful if they got their hands on that.”</p><p>“I can do that,” Enjolras nodded. </p><p>“And I will be sure to get a husband for you,” Combeferre joked, and Enjolras rolled his eyes, laughing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Okay, I think we took the wrong exit,” Combeferre said once he was well on the road with the horse, Fauchelevant. “Let’s see… I think if we take the overpass, we should be good, maybe. Turn left.” </p><p>Fauchelevant refused to move. He could see the road that Combeferre was trying to make him turn from was bright and sunny. The road Combeferre wanted to go down was dark and overgrown, not very inviting. </p><p>“Come <em>on,</em> buddy, we’ll be out of these woods in no-- what was that?” Combeferre froze. He heard something moving behind them, getting closer as they stood. “Just go, Fauchelevant. It’ll go away soon…”</p><p>Suddenly there was a low growl from behind them, and the horse had enough. He took off at a gallop through the forest. Combeferre could see behind the branches that they were being pursued by a pack of wolves! He didn’t need to encourage the horse to go, but the horse ducked under a branch, and Combeferre didn’t get down in time, sending him flying off. </p><p>Combeferre landed on his back, and he gasped. “Fauchelevent! Come back! Don’t leave!” Once he had regained his breath, he stood up and started running, and none too soon. The wolves were right behind him. </p><p>After running a great distance, Combeferre came to a gate. A gate? In the middle of nowhere? He looked up and saw an imposing castle, but it looked like the homiest cottage at the moment. </p><p>“Please! Will someone help me?” he shouted, and the gate fell open. He slammed it shut behind him as the wolves ran up and the rain started. </p><p>He scampered up to the castle and knocked on the door. Like the gate, it slid open. “Hello?” he called, a little nervous. This place looked strangely familiar… “Hello?”</p><p>“Combeferre! You’re back! Oh, baby, I’ve missed you so--mph!” a voice said, and Combeferre turned around. </p><p>“Quiet, we don’t know if it’s him,” another voice said, “Besides, no one’s supposed to come here.”</p><p>“Since when were you one to play by the rules?” the first voice replied. </p><p>“I don’t mean to intrude, but I’ve lost my horse Fauchelevent and I need a place to stay the night,” Combeferre explained, then spotted a candlestick, and put his hands to it to warm up. Then he realized the stick had a face.</p><p>“Baby, of course you can stay here,” the candlestick said warmly, and Combeferre squeaked in surprise, toppling backwards. He backed away from the candle in fear. </p><p>“Combeferre, it’s me, Courfeyrac!” the candlestick said, and the clock next to it jumped to life. </p><p>“Courfeyrac… he doesn’t know you anymore, you weren’t even a part of his life as far as he knows,” the clock said. The candlestick stopped smiling and looked very hurt.</p><p>“Marius, I was just hoping a little,” Courfeyrac replied softly. </p><p>“How does this work?” Combeferre asked, staring at the objects talking to each other. He gently picked up the candlestick, and the flames on the top lit up even brighter. </p><p>“I <em>like</em> this,” the candlestick giggled as Combeferre felt around his column and knop.  </p><p>He turned it over a few times, then the clock said uncomfortably, “Could you please not fondle my friend?”</p><p>“Oh, sorry, I’ve just never seen a--achoo!” Combeferre sneezed. He took out a handkerchief and wiped his nose. </p><p>Courfeyrac smiled sadly. “Oh, baby, you’re all wet, come on--” he hopped out of his arms “--I’ll get you nice and warmed up in no time.” He beckoned to Combeferre to follow him.</p><p>“Oh no,” Marius, the clock, said worriedly, following them, “What’s the master going to think about this?”</p><p>“Well, I’m not going to let him freeze,” Courfeyrac said decidedly, then offered Combeferre the big chair near the fire. “Here you go, baby, and here’s a blanket.” </p><p>Marius watched in discontent as the hatstand, Eponine, came in to take Combeferre’s cape and wool hat. “This is going too far, Eponine! We can’t have the master find out--” he was promptly run over by a tea cart, even though there had been a warning beep. </p><p>“Hello, sir!” Jehan, the teapot, greeting the guest. “Would you like some tea to warm you up?”</p><p>“That would be lovely, thank you,” Combeferre said, sniffling. Jehan poured out a cup out of their spout, and the cup sprang to life and into Combeferre’s hand. </p><p>“Hi!” Gavroche, the teacup, said excitedly. He hadn’t seen people in ages. </p><p>“Let me see here,” Courfeyrac said, hopping into Combeferre’s lap, and not making any acknowledgement of the medical book that had waddled in, followed by the globe, Bossuet. “Don’t mind me, I’m just making sure you’re not sick,” he said, delicately kissing Combeferre’s forehead. “Good,” he looked Combeferre in the eyes, pressing a waxy hand against his cheek while the other hand neatened his hair, “You’re not sick.”</p><p>“I feel like we know each other,” Combeferre said slowly, “I’ve seen your face before.”</p><p>“Maybe in another life,” Courfeyrac sighed, looking at him with a sort of longing.</p><p>Suddenly, from behind them, the door slammed open. Gavroche hid behind Jehan, who was shaking. Courfeyrac patted Combeferre’s head, trying to calm both himself and the young man. </p><p>“There’s an unwelcome visitor here,” came the growl, standing Combeferre’s hair on end. He could see the shadow behind him of something very, very large and very, very hairy. </p><p>“Sir, he was lost in the woods and he needed a place to stay--” Marius began trying to cover for his friend, but the growl returned, scaring him under the tea cart. </p><p>Combeferre looked behind the chair cautiously and his eyes widened in fear. Sitting behind him was a massive hairy best, of some kind! He couldn’t tell what it was, but its blue eyes were glowing angrily at him. </p><p>“What are you staring at?” the beast snarled, advancing. “You’ve come to stare at the monster, haven’t you?”</p><p>“No, no, I didn’t know anyone was here,” Combeferre stammered, shaking so badly Courfeyrac toppled off his lap, “I just needed a place to stay--”</p><p>“You want a place to stay? I’ll<em> give</em> you a place to stay!” the beast growled, grabbing him and dragging him out the door. Courfeyrac sat up dizzily, then went to chase the beast, but couldn’t catch up. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thenardier and Montparnasse were hiding in a bush outside Enjolras and Combeferre’s house, waiting for the other guests to arrive. </p>
<p>“That boy’s getting the surprise of his life, isn’t he?” Montparnasse said with a laugh. </p>
<p>“Correct,” Thenardier replied with a nod, then went to greet his group, the rest of the Patron-Minette. “I’d like to thank you all to Enjolras’s initiation into our group. But first, I better go in and… let him know it’s happening!” The group laughed heartily. “Montparnasse, when Enjolras and I come out that door--”</p>
<p>“I know, I strike up the house band and start the epic music!” Montparnasse said excitedly, then proceeded to smack Clasquous in the back of the head, getting him to play the piano they pulled out, then sang,<em> “She keeps her Moet et Chandon in a pretty cabinet, ‘let them eat cake,’ she says just like Marie Antionette--</em>ow!” </p>
<p>Thenardier removed the branch from Montparnasse’s backside, then snapped, “Not yet, you foolish boy!” He went up to the door and knocked politely. </p>
<p>Enjolras was inside, reading quietly by the window, and looked out to see who was knocking. “Thenardier? What on earth could he want?” he muttered, going to the door. “Hello? Can I help you?”</p>
<p>“You know, Enjolras, there isn’t a young man in <em>Paris</em> who wouldn’t <em>love</em> to be in your shoes,” Thenardier said faux-cheerfully, “This is the day you dreams come true.”</p>
<p>Enjolras frowned. He thought he had made it perfectly clear that he had thrown out the trust fund and title his parents tried to give him. That was all he could think Thenardier could be offering. “What do you know about my dreams?” he asked as Thenardier kindly invited himself inside and sat in Combeferre’s chair. “Don’t sit there, Combeferre doesn’t like it when people sit in his spot. In the winter, that seat is close enough to the fireplace to remain warm, and yet not so close as to cause perspiration. In the summer, it's directly in the path of a cross-breeze created by open windows there and there. It faces the lamp at an angle that is neither direct, thus discouraging conversation, nor so far wide as to create a parallax distortion. That’s what he told me.”</p>
<p>“Oh, well, he isn’t here,” Thenardier said, “And I know plenty about what pretty young men like you dream about -- a life free from responsibility, a nice woman to take care of you--”</p>
<p>“You can’t live without some kind of responsibility, and I don’t want a wife to take care of me,” Enjolras said quickly. “Women don’t owe men to be their servant. If anything, we should step down.” </p>
<p>“But it’ll be thrilling! If I can ever find my daughter, you can marry her, and we can be father and son-in-law! Doesn't that sound nice?” Thenardier was getting impatient and had Enjolras backed up against the door. </p>
<p>“Oh, um, I don’t know what to say,” Enjolras said, messing with the doorknob--he had seen Montparnasse do this trick once, why wasn’t it working?--and trying to get it loose, “Other than--”</p>
<p>“Other than what?” Thenardier said with a grin. </p>
<p>“Absolutely not.” Enjolras opened the door and shoved him out, slamming the door behind him. </p>
<p>Thenardier fell into the pond outside, and Montparnasse, hearing the door open, launched into an epic rendition of “<em>She’s a killer queen; gunpowder, gelatine, dynamite with a laser beam, guaranteed to blow your mind!” </em>When he realized no one was there, he turned around. “Aw, you missed my falsetto!”</p>
<p>“Mark my words, Montparnasse,” Thenardier said, furiously standing up, “I <em>will</em> have that boy in the gang. Make no mistake about that.”</p>
<p>He shook himself out, and Montparnasse let out a piercing scream. “Honestly, is it all that hard to move so I don’t get all your peasant soot on me?” </p>
<p>Once everyone had left, Enjolras peeked out. “The <em>nerve </em>of people these days, going around and harassing people. He doesn’t care about anyone, does he?” he asked a little bird that had landed on the porch. The bird twittered, then apprehensively landed on his shoulder. “You won’t bother anyone, right?” He petted the bird’s fluffy face, then moved to the barn out back to clean out the horse stall. </p>
<p>“Can you imagine me being a crime lord?” he asked the bird, “Because I can’t. No stealing for me. Maybe going against a terrible government, sure. I would get everyone I knew and build a barricade in the street and sing a classic rebellion song and everything.” He laughed to himself, picking up a pitchfork and waving it around as if it were a flag. “Long live the republic! I am one of them! Right?” The bird twittered again. “You don’t understand me, do you?”</p>
<p>The bird left just as a whinny could be heard outside. Enjolras went outside and saw Fauchelevent running toward him, looking wild. He went up to the horse, caught his bridle. “It’s okay, shh, what’s wrong? Wait, where’s Combeferre? Do you know where he is? You’ve got to take me to him, buddy, come on.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>When Enjolras and Fauchelevent got close to the castle, the horse became nervous. “Shh, it’s okay, just wait here.” Enjolras climbed down and opened the gate, looking up at the imposing castle. </p>
<p>Inside, Courfeyrac was lying on the floor, crying, and Marius was trying to comfort him. “Look, he’s here now, right? You can see him whenever you want.” </p>
<p>“But he’s scared and alone! He’ll<em> die</em> in there!” Courfeyrac sobbed, “I’d rather never see him again knowing he’s alive and okay than have him locked up here and have him sick and dying!”</p>
<p>Feuilly, the quill pen, was perched next to the door. “I hear someone! Everyone, freeze!”</p>
<p>Enjolras walked in as the objects all hid. “Hello? Anyone here? I’m looking for my friend. Combeferre, are you in here?” He went up a huge set of stairs, feeling eyes on him. “Is anyone here?”</p>
<p>Jehan was in the kitchen with Gavroche, trying to get him cleaned up, but the little cup was insistent. “There’s another man in the castle! He looks like a bourgeois or something!”</p>
<p>“Now, hush, we need to get you clean,” Jehan scolded,  “Into the tub you go.” </p>
<p>Cosette, the feather-duster, spun in. “Jehan! You’ll never believe it! There’s another man in the castle!”</p>
<p>Marius and Courfeyrac had moved where they had been sitting. “If only I wasn’t so sensitive, crazy, lonely--”</p>
<p>“Combeferre?” Enjolras asked, hearing the voice. </p>
<p>“It’s a boy!” Feuilly said excitedly, “He could break the spell, if they fell in love with each other, then--”</p>
<p>“Easily said, hard to get done,” Courfeyrac said slowly, looking at the man ascending the stairs, “He seems pretty handsome, the master might go for him, but I don’t know if that guy would go for a very hairy guy.”</p>
<p>“Hey! <em>I’m</em> in love with a very hairy guy!” Feuilly exclaimed, looking very offended. </p>
<p>“Love is blind, Courfeyrac,” Marius said dreamily, “Everyone knows that. Horatio loved Hamlet even though he had gone completely insane--”</p>
<p>“No more Shakespeare for you,” Courfeyrac snorted, then followed Feuilly out the door. </p>
<p>Enjolras went up another set of stairs, leading to a tiny tower. He looked around, trying to find a door, then heard a cough in the corner, then, “Enjolras?”</p>
<p>“Combeferre!” Enjolras hurried over and grabbed his friend’s hands. “You’re <em>freezing</em>. We need to get you home and warmed up.”</p>
<p>“Enjolras, you need to go,” Combeferre wheezed, pushing his friend away. “I don’t have time to explain, just get out and forget about me, please, for your safety.” </p>
<p>Enjolras looked into his friend’s pleading eyes. “Who did this to you?”</p>
<p>There was a growl from behind him, and a paw grabbed his shoulder. “What are you doing here?”</p>
<p>“Who are you?” Enjolras called out into the darkness, trying to muster his bravery. </p>
<p>“The master of this castle. And he’s my prisoner.” There was a shadow that moved around beyond the skylight. </p>
<p>“He didn’t mean any harm,” Enjolras said firmly. All he could smell was whiskey and wet dog. </p>
<p>“There’s nothing you can do,” the voice snarled, “He trespassed, he pays for it.”</p>
<p>“It’s not like there’s a sign,” Combeferre piped up, but another inhuman sound made him stop talking. </p>
<p>“There has to be something…” Enjolras muttered to himself, then got an idea. “Would you take me? As a replacement?” </p>
<p>“What?” the shadow turned. “You would take his place?”</p>
<p>“No!” Combeferre cried out but dissolved into a coughing fit. </p>
<p>“If I take his place, you let him go home without any harm,” Enjolras said, laying down the terms to the deal. </p>
<p>“And once he’s freed, you stay here forever,” the shadow added, and Enjolras looked sick. </p>
<p>He squinted into the darkness. “Come out, so I can see you.”</p>
<p>“If you insist,” the shadow replied, then slowly moved out of the darkness. Enjolras gasped. Standing before him was an eight-foot-tall beast with curly brown fur, horns, and a long furry tail! The claws on the paws holding a bottle looked even less inviting, along with the teeth protruding from the mouth. </p>
<p>Enjolras took a deep breath, then stepped forward. “You have my word. I will stay.” </p>
<p>“No, no, no -- Enjolras, look, I have no point. I’m just confused and can’t remember half of my life. You have so much more to look forward to--” Combeferre pleaded as the beast grabbed him and dragged him out. </p>
<p>“Wait!” Enjolras shouted after the monster, but he didn’t listen. The beast went downstairs and stuck Combeferre into a small cart. </p>
<p>“Please don’t hurt my friend!” Combeferre begged. </p>
<p>“He’s none of your concern anymore,” the beast hissed, then the cart began pulling away on its own. </p>
<p>When the beast got back upstairs, Enjolras was curled up on the floor, trying to keep himself from crying, but tears were running down his face. “You didn’t even let me say goodbye. It’s bad enough you won’t let me see him ever again, but you can’t even let me tell him how to work the oven.” </p>
<p>Courfeyrac came in quickly. “Master, you might want to offer the poor boy a better room,” he whispered, and then the beast made a noise. Enjolras sat up. </p>
<p>The beast looked down, feeling a bit guilty now, then sighed. “I’ll show you to your room now.” Enjolras looked at him confused. “What, you like mildew?” Enjolras shook his head silently. “Then follow me.” The prisoner stood up quickly and followed the beast out. The beast picked up Courfeyrac and held him up for a light. </p>
<p>“I… hope you like it here,” the beast said.</p>
<p> Marius followed in the shadows, whispering, “Introduce yourself!” </p>
<p>The beast rolled his eyes, then added, “You can call me Grantaire.” </p>
<p>“I’m Enjolras,” Enjolras replied quietly. Grantaire turned around and noticed that the prisoner’s face was streaked with tears. </p>
<p>“That’s kind of hard to say, can I call you Angel?” </p>
<p>Enjolras shrugged. </p>
<p>“The castle is your home now, so you can go anywhere you like, except the West Wing,” Grantaire continued as softly as he could, trying to not scare Enjolras but was impatient to get this interaction over and done with. </p>
<p>“What’s in there?” Enjolras asked.</p>
<p>“It’s forbidden,” Grantaire said sharply, and Enjolras jumped. When they got to Enjolras’s new room, Grantaire opened the door and let him go in. “Dinner is in an hour. That’s <em>not</em> a request,” he said sternly, slamming the door behind him. Enjolras tried to open the door but found it locked. He flopped on the bed on his face, shaking and sobbing. He was trapped. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Back in town, Thenardier was at his Inn with the Patron-Minette. Montparnasse threw himself dramatically in a chair diagonally, distractedly playing with his high heel boot. </p>
<p>“I can’t believe that boy,” Thenardier muttered, “Who does he think he is?”</p>
<p>“Well, I <em>might</em> be grasping at straws here, but perhaps he thinks he’s <em>Enjolras?”</em> Montparnasse said cheekily. Thenardier had been going on and on, and he was getting very tired of it. </p>
<p>“I <em>know</em> that,” the old man grumbled, “I just can’t believe he would turn down my offer of freedom.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t call <em>this</em> freedom,” Montparnasse retorted. “You know, I used to think life would be <em>so </em>much more exciting than sitting around with a bunch of grumpy old men with <em>no</em> sense of fashion.”</p>
<p>“Montparnasse, hit me up with a hype song,” Thenardier demanded, drained. </p>
<p>The young criminal kicked his legs up, propelling himself upright. “What do you take me for?”</p>
<p>“I think I could do it, but I have zero motivation,” Thenardier explained, sitting back and putting his feet up.</p>
<p>“What do you want me to do, put on a suggestive dress or something and dance like some kind of dancing girl?” Montparnasse complained, heaving himself off the chair with an exaggerated groan. He picked up his dagger from the table next to him and poked Guelemer, who was sitting at the piano that was moved back inside with the handle. “Put it in C-minor.” The man groaned but started playing the piano. “I said C-minor.”</p>
<p>“This <em>is</em> C-minor,” Guelemer replied. </p>
<p>“Forget I even asked,” Montparnasse sighed, then flounced to the middle of the room, where he cued in the piano and started singing dramatically, <em>“Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods? Where’s the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed? Late at night, I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need… </em>hit it!” the rest of the gang cued in with some instrument, and Thenardier simply looked confused. </p>
<p>His wife walked in, then her eyes widened at Montparnasse’s extremely suggestive dancing and left. “I don’t want to know.” </p>
<p>Montparnasse jumped on the table. <em>“I need a hero! Oh, I’m holding out for a hero until the end of the night! He’s got to be strong, and he’s got to be fast, and he’s got to be fresh from the fight!” </em></p>
<p>Thenardier simply watched the chaos in horror. “I thought we taught him better.”</p>
<p><em>“I need a hero!”</em> Montparnasse finished, flopping onto the arm of Thenardier’s chair. “How was <em>that,</em> boss?”</p>
<p>Before Thenardier could even reply, a commotion could be heard outside of the inn.</p>
<p>“Help! Someone has to help me!” Combeferre shouted, running into the inn frantically. He grabbed Babet’s jacket, pleading, “Please, you have to help Enjolras. He’s--he’s been captured by a beast!”</p>
<p>Babet shoved him off. “Cry on someone else, baby.”</p>
<p>Something about being called baby rang a bell in Combeferre’s mind. <em>My sweet one,</em> he was thinking for a split second, then remembered what he was doing here. “Look, he told me you all would talk to him a lot, and you do jailbreaks, so I thought you could help me. He’s in a castle, and the monster’s huge--”</p>
<p>“What on earth?” Thenardier said, sitting up and knocking Montparnasse onto his feet. “There’s a beast? And he’s got Enjolras locked up? Cute joke.” To Clasquous he said, “Get him out of my inn.” </p>
<p>“Please, you have to help me!” Combeferre pleaded as he was tossed out into the snow. He looked around the square fearfully. “There has to be someone who will help me…”</p>
<p>Inside the inn, Babet laughed, “Crazy Combeferre. He’s always good for a little laugh, isn’t he? I’m surprised he hasn’t been locked up yet.”</p>
<p>Thenardier hung onto these last words. “Montparnasse, Enjolras is that lunatic’s best friend, correct?”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s the most platonic word I would give their situation, but yes,” Montparnasse said with a little nod, turning to a mirror to fix his face. “This lipstick keeps smudging…”</p>
<p>“And he would do <em>anything</em> to keep Combeferre out of trouble,” Thenardier continued. </p>
<p>Montparnasse closed his lipstick tube and stared at him, already knowing where this was going. “That’s vicious.”</p>
<p>“Well, look who’s <em>le fou</em> in here now?” Guelemer snickered, sharpening his dagger. “What is it about what we’ve done your whole life that gave you the impression we <em>didn’t</em> do sadistic stuff?”</p>
<p>“I’m just saying, it would work. Nothing else has,” Thenardier said. “And if he doesn’t agree, at least we’ll have taken care of the explosions in the middle of the night.”</p>
<p>Montparnasse sat down, every ounce of evil scheming having left his face. <em>This </em>was going to get someone killed. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Enjolras was still curled up on his new bed, trying to think of a way to escape, when there was a polite knock on the door. “Who is it?”</p><p>“Jehan and Gavroche, honey,” came a sweet voice from outside the door.</p><p>Enjolras got up and shyly opened the door, expecting to be greeted by someone his own height, but was shocked to find out he had been talking to a sentient teapot! “What…?”</p><p>“I just thought you might like some tea, honey,” Jehan said cheerfully, pouring into the teacup next to them. </p><p>Terrified, Enjolras backed away, accidentally nudging the dresser, who sprang to life. </p><p>“What? Hello? Oh, Jehan! Is this a customer I can dress up?” </p><p>“Musichetta, this is the new prisoner -- I didn’t catch your name,” Jehan realised. “Gavroche, give the man the tea.” </p><p>“I’m Enjolras,” the prisoner said, taking the cup that hopped into his hand as if he were under a spell. “This can’t be happening, this all one weird dream…”</p><p>“Oh, Enjolras, I wish it was,” Musichetta said with a laugh, “But here I am, a dresser! Let’s see, I think, a nice red would look good -- scratch that, I think any color would look okay--what do you think, Jehan?” </p><p>“I think you’re scaring him,” Jehan laughed, and Gavroche looked up at the man with a smirk. </p><p>“You want to see a trick?” the cup asked. Gavroche inhaled visibly, then blew bubbles straight out the top. </p><p>“Now, now, Gavroche, don’t get him all wet,” Jehan scolded. They looked to Enjolras, “That was a very brave thing you did, honey. Not everyone would give up their freedom for their friends.”</p><p>“But I’ll never see him again,” Enjolras sighed, “I’ve lost everything, and I can’t help anyone else.”</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Musichetta assured him, “Things will work out. You, though, shouldn’t you be cooking?”</p><p>“Oh, right, thanks,” Jehan said, beckoning with their spout to Gavroche that they should be going. “If you need anything at all, honey, just give me a holler.”</p><p>As soon as they had left, Musichetta was enthusiastic to get to know her new roommate. “So, what’s your favorite color? Because people look better when they like their clothes. You pick. Let’s see what’s in my drawers--” Musichetta flung her doors open, releasing moths, and she slammed them shut again. “Oop! That wasn’t classy, letting it all hang out.” She reached in and pulled out a gold dress. “What do you think?”</p><p>Enjolras looked at the dress uncomfortably. “Why is that in there?”</p><p>“Oh, don’t worry. You’re the first person to come here in four years,” Musichetta replied, “Grantaire just likes variety sometimes. So, I’m guessing this is a no for your dinner attire?”</p><p>“I wasn’t going to go to dinner,” Enjolras answered, “I’m sorry. It’s nice of you to offer, though.”</p><p>Musichetta’s eyes widened. “Well, you have a big storm coming.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m up for a good argument,” Enjolras said, sitting down and folding his arms.</p><p>Marius came to the door and announced, “Dinner is served!”</p><hr/><p>Grantaire was pacing in the dining hall. “Where is he?” he muttered, looking at the clock then back down at the floor. “I sent Marius to tell him to come, and he hasn’t come yet.”</p><p>“Now, now,” Jehan said, a bit nervous, “Keep in mind he lost everything today; his freedom, his best friend--”</p><p>“At least this gives you a little time to get yourself situated,” Courfeyrac piped up. “Have thought that maybe he might be the one to break the spell?”</p><p>“Of course I’ve thought of that!” Grantaire snapped. “The one thought of hope I’ve had in years.” He rolled his eyes at the little niggling in his chest of excitement that he might one day be a human.</p><p>“Oh, good!” Courfeyrac said, “You fall in love with each other, we’ll be human again, good and human again by midnight. And my husband will come back,” he added to himself excitedly. </p><p>“It’s not that easy, Courfeyrac,” Jehan sighed, hopping onto their cart, “Love doesn’t just happen.”</p><p>“Well, it did for me,” the candlestick grumbled, folding his arms. “And it’s not like we <em>have</em> time, Jehan.” </p><p>“It’s no use,” Grantaire groaned, “Do you think Enjolras would stoop as low as to think anything of me?”</p><p>“Well, you can help him see past all that fur and claws and monster-ness,” Jehan said, “And you can start by sitting up like a gentleman.” On instinct, Grantaire sat up into a military-style pose. </p><p>Courfeyrac said, “And when he comes in, you can smile, that <em>always </em>looks friendly. Let’s see those teeth!” He smiled, and Grantaire tried to copy. All he got, though, was a sideways, bug-eyed look. </p><p>“Courfeyrac, I look like I got whacked in the side of the head with a mallet,” the prince said through gritted teeth, looking at his face in the reflection on a plate.</p><p>“So don’t frighten him, just try to be sincere and sweet,” Jehan suggested.</p><p>“You could shower him in compliments,” Courfeyrac added, “I’m thinking something like, ‘Wow, you look really pretty!’ Maybe not <em>pretty</em> but something like that--” </p><p>“But don’t be too creepy about it, no one likes creepy people,” Jehan cautioned, “And above all of this -- <em>you must control your temper.</em> ”</p><p>Just as they were saying this, Marius slipped in. Grantaire turned sharply. “Well?”</p><p>“Oh! Um…” he stammered, looking everywhere but his master, “Well, you see, funny story actually, um…” He finally gave up, feeling like he was asking for his death sentence. “He’s not coming.”</p><p><em> “What?"</em> Grantaire snapped, then grabbed his composure. “We’ll see how well <em>that</em> goes for him.” He stalked out of the room, anger burning inside of him. Jehan, Courfeyrac, and Marius followed behind quickly. </p><p>He banged angrily on the door and without waiting for a reply, he shouted, “I <em>said </em>dinner was in an <em>hour!</em> "</p><p>“I’m not hungry!” Enjolras shouted from inside, “Especially when all I smell around here is alcohol!” </p><p>“Come out or I will break down this door!” Grantaire growled, the fur standing on the back of his neck. </p><p>“Sir, I might be wrong about this, I only have two <em>very </em>happy girlfriends,” Marius said slowly, “But I don’t think he likes people who do that. Try to be more gentlemanly.”</p><p>“Suave, I think suave is attractive,” Jehan suggested, “He might like that.” </p><p>“But--fine. Angel, would you please join me for dinner?” Grantaire said in the most forced, cheerful voice any of them had ever heard, then added when he saw Jehan mouthing something, “--please?”</p><p>“No,” Enjolras replied, and Grantaire had enough of this waiting around by the door. </p><p>“Fine, starve! If you don eat with me, you don’t eat at all!” He yelled through the door, then stormed off. </p><p>“That went splendidly, don’t you think?” Courfeyrac said. “Does anyone want to guard the door to make sure he doesn’t get out?”</p><p>“I’ll do it!” Marius volunteered. “I promise I won’t get distracted.” </p><p>“I’ll tell Bahorel that dinner isn’t happening,” Jehan sighed. “This should be fun!”</p><hr/><p>Once Grantaire got to his room, he picked up the magic mirror and demanded to see how Enjolras was doing. </p><p>Musichetta was sitting next to him on the bed, with Joly and Bossuet on the floor trying to boost Bossuet up but it wasn’t working, as he was a globe. “You know, he really isn’t too bad once he’s relaxed a bit more,” Musichetta assured him.</p><p>“I don’t <em>want</em> to get to know that drunken monster,” Enjolras replied, curled up with his scuffed black boots sitting on the floor, “I don’t want to ever see him again.” </p><p>Grantaire set the mirror down, and it went black. “It’s no use trying. He’ll never see me as anything but a monster.” He looked over at the flower under the glass jar. Another wrinkly maroon petal fell off the fragile stem. He buried his face in his hands. “It’s hopeless.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a few days of refusing food, Musichetta eventually forced Enjolras to leave the room to eat something. He walked past a tapestry, under which Marius, Cosette, and Eponine were all sleeping next to each other. It looked both funny and adorable. He brushed the cloth, and they stirred. They sat up just as he turned the corner. </p>
<p>“He’s out!” Marius said frantically, getting up and chasing him. “I was supposed to make sure that he specifically didn’t do that!” </p>
<p>Enjolras went to the kitchen just as Feuilly, was yelling at his husband, Bahorel, who was an oven. The oven apparently had threatened to hit the quill with a handful’s worth of whipped cream. “Oh, I sure hope the <em>heck </em>you do! You’ll be a dead son-of-a-<em>gun</em>, I’ll tell you that--what are <em>you</em> doing out here?” </p>
<p>“Musichetta shoved me out to get food…” Enjolras said uncertainly, watching the two objects bicker. Feuilly was staying as far away as he could, seeing the inferno in Bahorel’s stomach. “Do either of you know where I could find food?”</p>
<p>Jehan was sitting on the counter, nudging Gavroche into the cupboard, “Come on, sleepy, go to bed with your sister.” They hopped down and slid over to the quill and oven. “Ahem, some food for this poor starving boy?” </p>
<p>Bahorel opened his door. “I have a creme brulee in here if you like.”</p>
<p>“Bahorel, we can do better than leftovers,” Courfeyrac said, spinning in, “He isn’t a prisoner, he’s a guest!” </p>
<p>“I’m here! I’m here! I didn’t mean to fall asleep!” Marius shouted, almost walking into the swing door. He turned to Enjolras and bowed. “I am Marius, head of housekeeping at this castle. The candle is Courfeyrac, that’s Feuilly with the feather, and Bahorel is the oven. You shouldn’t be out here.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t <em>want</em> to come out here, but the dresser shoved me,” Enjolras said meekly, taking the creme brulee that Bahorel handed him and nibbled at it. </p>
<p>“Musichetta will do that if she wants you to do something,” Courfeyrac sighed, then told Bahorel to get cooking, he wanted a feast done in ten minutes. </p>
<p>“Why do you need a feast?” Enjolras asked out of curiosity. </p>
<p>“We are getting you <em>food</em>, child,” Courfeyrac snapped, surprisingly aggressive, “And you’re going to enjoy it.”</p>
<p>“I don’t eat much--” </p>
<p>It was too late, Courfeyrac had all the order sent out, and soon a full-table set was spread out, and Courfeyrac was trying to force-feed Enjolras some high-quality cheese. </p>
<p>“Surrender and eat the cheese,” he said firmly, and finally, Enjolras decided it wasn’t worth explaining that he died choking on gruyere that a candlestick had shoved down his throat. “Something to wash it down?”</p>
<p>Enjolras said softly, “Water is fine.” Courfeyrac went to the water pump and got him a glass of ice water. “Thank you.” He had only meant to get a crust of bread or something, but the candlestick was persistently and refused to leave him alone until he finished eating a full dinner. </p>
<p>“Come on, have some more, we can make more food if you want more,” Courfeyrac encouraged him. “More tamales?” Enjolras shook his head, but Courfeyrac was insistent. “I <em>said,</em> more tamales?” Enjolras vigorously nodded, in fear of what candle would do to him if he didn’t take more food. </p>
<p>“Don’t make him sick, Courfeyrac,” Jehan said, pushing the plate away. “I think that’s enough for now.” </p>
<p>“And to bed, you go,” Marius said, looking nervously at the door. “We don’t want the master to hear anything.” </p>
<p>“Oh, couldn’t we give him a tour?” Courfeyrac pleaded. “He’s staying with us for so long, he might as well know his way around here.”</p>
<p>“It <em>is</em> my first time in an enchanted castle…” Enjolras said, pondering facetiously. Now that he was fed, he felt a little less tired and was interested to find out what other wildness was hidden within the walls. </p>
<p>“Who said anything about enchanted?” Marius replied with a nervous laugh that sounded a lot like a popular song from years gone by. “Ha, haha, haha, ha ha ha--” He was insecure about the castle’s state, and he wasn’t sure why. Other than that the place was a <em>disaster.</em></p>
<p>“Well, given that you’re the head of housekeeping, Marius, you’d know all about the castle,” Enjolras said, making a face he never thought he would ever use--something that resembled a begging pout. </p>
<p>“Oh, all right, I guess I can do that,” Marius said finally. “I can’t stand seeing people sad.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Enjolras almost instantly regretted begging Marius to give him a tour, because as soon as they left the kitchen for their tour, Marius was raving about that one short military leader. </p>
<p>“Yes, I know he tried to march on Russia, and he lost,” Enjolras said, “And didn’t also he bring slavery back to the islands? And destroyed several native nations? And was a dictator?” Enjolras tried to hide a smirk as his guide squirmed. He looked up at the suits of armor, then frowned. “Why are they all facing us?”</p>
<p>Marius snapped his fingers, and all the suits moved back. “As you were, good. Now, back to the--Enjolras!” Marius and Courfeyrac dashed in front of Enjolras, blocking his progress up the stairs. “Please don’t go up there.”</p>
<p>“What’s up there?” Enjolras asked curiously, trying to peek around the corner. </p>
<p>“Up there? Nothing, absolutely nothing, none of the West Wing would interest you,” Courfeyrac said quickly with a nervous laugh. “Just storage and… stuff.” </p>
<p>“So <em>that’s</em> what the West Wing is,”  Enjolras said softly, “I wonder what that beast is hiding up there.”</p>
<p>“He’s not hiding anything!” Marius said quickly as Enjolras stepped around him. </p>
<p>“Well, clearly it’s <em>something</em>, given that it’s forbidden,” the prisoner laughed. </p>
<p>“We have so many other places to get to that would be so much more interesting,” Courfeyrac suggested, “Like the tapestries, the gardens… the library?”</p>
<p>“There’s a library?” Enjolras said, suddenly interested. If he was going to be stuck here forever, at least he could have some uninterrupted reading time. </p>
<p>“Oh, yeah! And there are <em>so</em> many books!” Feuilly added, having come out of the kitchen. “Mountains and piles of books! About everything! Histories, plays, romances--”</p>
<p>The three objects were excited that Enjolras had taken an interest, and hurried down the hall, expecting him to follow them to the library, but something drew Enjolras’s attention back to the mysterious staircase. Like a banned book, he wanted to know what was so bad about it. Besides, they had lost him on the romances. </p>
<p>As he went down the upstairs hall, however, he began to lose confidence. He saw something move and turned. A mirror had been broken, reflecting his expression of startlement back at him in multitudes. </p>
<p>When he got to the end of the hall, there was a door with gargoyles for handles. “This guy really likes his gothic architecture,” Enjolras murmured, running a finger down one gargoyle’s back, and could’ve sworn it shivered. He figured he had to focus on what he was doing and not entirely think about the architecture, since it was irrelevant to what he wanted to know. He pushed the doors open and was greeted by a mass of dust. He listened for any sound, and it was silent as a tomb, so he went in. </p>
<p>The room was a mess, even the bed looked broken as if something tried to sleep on it that exceeded its weight recommendation. An easel was up in a corner, and an unfinished painting was sitting on it. Enjolras almost tipped a wobbly table but caught it before it fell. Suddenly, he froze. He was being watched. </p>
<p>Enjolras turned around very slowly, then let out a sigh of relief. It was only a shredded portrait. He stepped over some junk to look at the portrait. Hopefully, this wasn’t a cursed portrait and he was going to get stabbed for seeing it. He lifted one of the shreds and placed it where it was supposed to be, and his eyes widened. Enjolras had seen those eyes before, but the face didn’t look familiar. </p>
<p>A light glowed from behind him, and Enjolras dropped the portrait fragment on the floor. “What’s that?” he breathed, stepping around a chair skeleton to get a better look at the rosy glow. </p>
<p>The light was in fact rosy, emitted from a rose. The red rose was wrinkled and drooped as if no one ever watered it, and it hovered under a bell jar, suspended in the air by absolutely nothing at all. </p>
<p>Enjolras frowned. “You poor thing,” he whispered, seeing a cup of water at the easel. He picked it up, figuring dirty water for this plant would be better than nothing and lifted the jar off the rose. Enjolras reached out to put the cup under the flower when suddenly a shadow swept over him. </p>
<p>Grantaire shoved him back, grabbed the jar, and slammed it back over the rose. He glared at Enjolras, eyes burning with anger and fear. “What are you doing in here?” he demanded. “I <em>told </em>you not to come here! Do you realize what you could have <em>done?”</em> Grantaire shouted, breath blowing across Enjolras’s face. </p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know--”</p>
<p><em>“Get out. Now.” </em>Grantaire growled, and Enjolras didn’t need to be told twice. He was going to get out, and he wasn’t coming back. Grantaire suddenly snapped out of his rage, and he slapped his forehead in annoyance with himself. Enjolras took off running down the stairs, grabbing his cape as he went. </p>
<p>Marius and Courfeyrac were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. “Where are you going?”</p>
<p>“Promise or no promise, I’m not staying here another minute!” Enjolras called back, opening the door and slamming it against the snowy wind outside. </p>
<hr/>
<p>Outside, Enjolras got Fauchelevent out of the stable and took off as far away from the castle as he could get. The horse, however, seemed to have had enough of these adventures, because he stopped and refused to move. </p>
<p>“Come on, we’re going home,” Enjolras tried to coax him, but then heard the last noise he needed to hear right now--the howl of wolves, and they were close. “This is officially the worst day of my life.”</p>
<p>The wolves were getting close enough that Enjolras could see their figures in the moonlight. He climbed off Fauchelevent and grabbed a stick from off a tree, holding it like a club. One wolf seemed to decide that it was time to move in for the kill and leapt at him, and he whacked it with the branch. As the other wolves moved in, the young man could smell the previous victim on their breath. </p>
<p>Enjolras had no defense, however, if the wolves decided to attack from behind, and one wolf jumped onto his back, knocking him to the ground with a yell. He was about to surrender to his fate when another growl joined the wolves, and it sounded louder than any of the others. Couldn’t he catch a break?</p>
<p>He sat up to see that a huge monstrous form had grabbed a wolf just as it had gone to dive for Enjolras’s neck, and tossed it aside as if it were a sack of flour. When the figure sat up, it was Grantaire! He had come after him and was protecting him from the wolves!</p>
<p>The wolves decided to turn their attack onto the bigger target and lunged for Grantaire’s hulking form. They bit and scratched and shredded his arms, but he simply shoved them against a tree and let out a loud hiss, scaring them away. One wolf, in particular, grabbed his arm and refused to surrender, no matter how many times Grantaire threw it against the ground, and Enjolras was finally able to help, picking up his stick and smacked it, and it released its hold. </p>
<p>After several more minutes of the attack, the wolves finally gave up and left. Grantaire fell to the ground with a groan. Enjolras saw his chance to escape and started to get back onto Fauchelevent, then stopped. He looked back at the big, hairy beast lying on the ground in pain. Grantaire didn’t even sound like a beast. He sounded like an injured puppy. He couldn’t leave him behind, could he? After what he had just done for him?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hold still,” Enjolras said back at the castle. He had gotten Grantaire onto Fauchelevent, who was not thrilled but did what he was told, then brought Grantaire back to his home and was trying to clean his wounds. The staff was all hiding behind the chairs, hoping that they wouldn’t get caught in a fight. </p><p>Enjolras pressed the cloth onto Grantaire’s arm, and he let out an unholy screech. “Ow! That hurts!” Grantaire shouted, “Mother trucker, dude, that hurts like a--”</p><p>“If you didn’t squirm so much, it wouldn’t hurt,” Enjolras snapped back, feeling more confident. </p><p>“If you hadn’t run away, this wouldn’t have happened!” Grantaire growled. </p><p>“If you hadn’t scared the living daylights out of me, I wouldn’t have run away!” </p><p>“Well, <em>you</em> shouldn’t have gone where I told you not to go!” Grantaire shouted the fur on his neck standing up. </p><p>Courfeyrac buried his face in his candle hands. “I hate when you fight…”</p><p>“Well, <em>look</em> who needs to control their temper!” Enjolras hissed, and Grantaire fell silent, nursing the wine bottle Cosette had brought. “Now sit still, this will hurt.” Enjolras put the cloth back on the wound, and Grantaire’s eyes bugged out. Enjolras sighed. “Thank you, by the way. Not everyone would’ve gone after me.”</p><p>“Why wouldn’t they?” Grantaire asked, “Don’t you have any friends or something, Angel?”</p><p>“No one but Combeferre has seen me with more of a purpose then everyone’s ogling entertainment,” Enjolras sighed, “Something you can live without. I don’t want to be just known for that and forgotten about. You just came right in, even after I did exactly what you told me not to do, and you rescued me.”</p><p>The staff slipped out of hiding, and sat near the fire, watching the man clean his captor’s wound. What could Grantaire say except… “You’re welcome.”</p><hr/><p>A few days later in town, Thenardier and Montparnasse waited at the corner table at Thenardier’s Inn. Montparnasse was trying to do his nails with very poor light.</p><p>“I don’t usually leave the prison in the middle of the night, especially with our latest criminal,” Javert said as he walked into the room, “But I was told you would make it worth my while.”</p><p>Thenardier sat forward. “Would you like to be a hero to the underlings of this fine town? We have this… fellow, Combeferre, that my boy here has been having some problems with--” Montparnasse almost choked on his drink trying to not laugh “--but he doesn’t respond to what I do to him.”</p><p>“Also known as his roommate shoved him into the duck pond,” Montparnasse interjected, pointing with the tiny paintbrush. Thenardier pushed him, making the bottle nearly tip. “Hey! This is the <em>good</em> stuff!”</p><p>“It’s from the franc store, how <em>good</em> can it be?” Thenardier replied, then continued, “Everyone knows the boy’s is a lunatic. He was in here a week ago raving about a<em> beast</em> in a <em>castle…”</em></p><p>“I have gotten no reports of Combeferre committing any crimes,” Javert replied. </p><p>“The point is, his roommate would do <em>anything</em> to protect this freak--”<br/>“Yeah, even work for <em>him,”</em> Montparnasse snorted. </p><p>Thenardier whispered sharply, “If you don’t shut up, you little twit, I will kick your foot.” Montparnasse instinctively moved his expensive shoes out of harm’s way. </p><p>“So, you want me to put Combeferre into the jail for harassing your boy?” Javert asked, and Thenardier nodded. The Inspector stood up. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this criminal.”</p><p>At Combeferre and Enjolras’s house, Combeferre was packing up. “If no one will help me here, I’ll rescue him myself,” Combeferre said decidedly, grabbing another pair of crookedly knitted socks -- someone had made them for him, but he didn’t know who -- and headed out the door.</p><p>About two minutes later, Thenardier and Montparnasse showed up, shouting inside, “Combeferre? Enjolras?” </p><p>Montparnasse turned to go. “Oh well, looks like your stupid scheme isn’t going to work after all--”</p><p>Thenardier grabbed him by the scarf and pushed him into a snowbank. “They have to come back sometime, and when they do, we’ll be ready. Don’t move from that spot until they get home.”</p><p>“But this coat is silk--” Thenardier walked away, leaving Montparnasse cold and wet. “I’m getting sick of this.” </p><hr/><p>At the castle, Enjolras and Grantaire had been avoiding each other. They felt a little awkward around each other after fighting so viciously in front of everyone. </p><p>Enjolras had taken to walking around the grounds with Feuilly, Marius, and Courfeyrac, while Grantaire would sit up on the balcony, watching. He looked down at his arm, which was still wrapped up in gauze. He said to Joly and Bossuet, “I’ve never felt like this for anyone. I want to do something special for him. What should I do?” </p><p>“He’s a prisoner, though,” Bossuet said, sounding a little awkward. </p><p>“I don’t regard him as a prisoner,” Grantaire said softly.</p><p>Planning on just going with whatever Granatire was thinking, Bossuet started listing options. “Flowers, chocolate, promises you don’t intend to keep--”</p><p>“No, no, no, that’s not good for your health, getting lied to all the time,” Joly said, shaking his head. “You should do something special, specific to him. All that romantic stuff loses its meaning. Besides, Enjolras doesn’t seem like much of a romantic. Wait, I know what you could do!”</p><p>Grantaire went downstairs to where Enjolras was hanging up his cape, laughing as Courfeyrac shook the snow off his head. Grantaire smiled, just knowing Enjolras was happy. </p><p>“Enjolras?” The man turned to him, smile still on his face, and Grantaire forgot what his own name was for a hot second. “There’s--there’s something I want to show you.”</p><p>“Okay,” Enjolras said, following him up the stairs, then stopped. “This… isn’t in the West Wing?”</p><p>“Oh no, it’s not, Angel,” Grantaire laughed, feeling a bit more comfortable. He led Enjolras to the door, then paused, getting an idea. “First, close your eyes.” Enjolras froze, looking terrified. “It’s just to make it more of a surprise, okay? I promise it won’t bite you.”</p><p>“How do I go in without tripping?” Enjolras asked, folding his hands behind his back. Grantaire awkwardly offered his huge paws, and Enjolras closed his eyes and held out his hands. Grantaire could feel his heart nearly combust for a moment, then pushed the door open.  “Can I open my eyes now?”</p><p>“Not yet,” Grantaire said, after realizing that Enjolras couldn’t see him shaking his head. “I’m letting go of you here, don’t move, you’re on a carpet and you might trip.” He went to the window and pulled the heavy curtains to the side, lighting up the room. Enjolras wrinkled his nose. </p><p>“It’s bright in here,” he laughed, “Can I open my eyes <em>now?”</em></p><p>“Yes,” Grantaire said, and Enjolras opened his eyes, and gasped. They were standing in the middle of a room that was from top to bottom full of bookshelves! This was the library they had been talking about.</p><p>“I’ve never seen so many books in my life…” Enjolras breathed, and Grantaire smiled. “It’s beautiful.”</p><p>“I was thinking, since you’re staying here a long time, you might like to have it for your own,” Grantaire said bashfully, shifting his weight, “My staff told me you took an interest.”</p><p>Enjolras looked at him with wide eyes. “You mean… these are all mine?”</p><p>“If you like, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to, Angel, I was just saying--”</p><p>“No, no, I love it. Honestly,” Enjolras said, and Grantaire stiffened at the word ‘love.’ Enjolras walked over and gave Grantaire’s hands a squeeze, smiling excitedly. He couldn’t believe he was standing in a huge library that he now had ownership of, and was giggling like a fool. </p><p>Jehan, Marius, and Courfeyrac were standing in the doorway. Courfeyrac folded his arms. “M-mm, you could cut the romantic tension in here with a knife.” Enjolras yanked away from Grantaire, embarrassed. </p><p>“Nice going,” Marius whispered, “They’re too nervous.”</p><p>Gavroche, who who was seated at Jehan’s side, asked, “Nervous about what? I don’t see anything to be nervous about,” he said, looking from one person to another. </p><p>“I’ll explain it when you’re older,” Courfeyrac assured him, “Let’s just say, this is good news for us as well.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jehan eventually announced that lunch was served, and the pair went down to the dining room. They had never eaten together, so Enjolras was a little unsettled by the manner that Grantaire found best to eat with his transformation--basically stuffing his face. </p><p>Gavroche pushed him a spoon, but that didn’t work very well either, since Grantaire’s thumbs weren’t posable. Enjolras thought for a moment, then picked up his bowl of soup, slurping a noodle out of the bowl. Grantaire grinned and copied. The mood in the room seemed much less heavy. </p><p>Later that day, Enjolras and Grantaire seemed to be a bit more comfortable together and went outside for a walk in what would be the gardens in the spring. Grantaire was trying to feed some birds, but his huge frame and sharp claws weren’t very inviting to the birds. Even more frustrating, Enjolras was having no trouble at all getting birds to land on him. </p><p>“What are you doing differently, Angel?” Grantaire asked him, “I can’t get them to come.”</p><p>“Here.” Enjolras took of the birdseed out of Grantaire’s paw and made a little trail in front, and finally, a little chickadee came over and started to the trail, then hopped into Grantaire’s hand. “There you go.” </p><p>As Grantaire fed more birds, Enjolras sat down to watch. It was odd, he had thought that Grantaire wasn’t capable of doing anything but blundering around and drinking. Now, he was friendly and seemed to enjoy his company. And Enjolras liked being around <em>him</em> as well. Strange. </p><p>Grantaire was thinking about how his companion had been so angry and scared of him, and now he would voluntarily take his paws and swing them around in a somewhat silly manner, almost like a little dance. But he couldn’t really feel anything like love or affection for him, right? There was no hope in any of his feelings being reciprocated, so he figured he shouldn’t push it. </p><p>Enjolras smiled at him, laughing at the birds who had landed on his head. “They like you.” </p><p>“I see,” Grantaire said, and the birds fluttered away to a nearby tree. “They seem to also like you.”</p><p>Enjolras gave him a strange look, moving closer to him, and Grantaire thought his heart was going to stop. </p><p>“You know, with all the trouble I’ve been for you, you could’ve eaten me right up,” Enjolras said, looking back at the birds for a moment, “But you didn’t. Why did you spare my life?”</p><p>Grantaire thought about it. It had never really crossed his mind before. He supposed it was because he was human on the inside. But, not remembering how to formulate a sentence, he answered, “I don’t know.”</p><p>Enjolras nodded, and Grantaire wondered what he was thinking about. Suddenly Enjolras got him square in the face with a snowball. “Got you!”</p><p>“Oof!” Grantaire grunted, toppling backwards, then scraped together a huge pile of snow, preparing to throw it at Enjolras. The man hid behind a tree and started playing a teasing peekaboo game with him, laughing. </p><p>When they got inside, Enjolras sat on the chair in front of the fire, then jumped up. “This is your seat, isn’t it?”</p><p>“You can sit there,” Grantaire said, offering the chair, but Enjolras was insistent that he sits there. Finally, both of them went to give in and sat nearly on top of each other. “I guess this works too.”</p><p>Enjolras looked at Grantaire’s shoulder. “You look warm. Could I… rest on you?”</p><p>Grantaire nodded, and Enjolras moved so he was fully resting against his companion, smiling at him as Granatire awkwardly wrapped an arm around Enjolras’s shoulder. The staff were ecstatic. They were finally getting along, and better than they could have hoped!</p><p>“This is lovely!” Marius said, then he saw Cosette’s eyes light up. “What is it?”</p><p>“We should have a ball!” she said, and Eponine nodded excitedly in agreement. </p><p>“It would be the perfect chance for them to confess their feelings! They clearly have them,” she said, and the rest of the staff agreed. They were going to have a ball. But first, a <em>lot</em> of cleaning had to be done in the castle. </p><hr/><p>Jehan kicked the two companions into the library while everyone cleaned, which they were glad for. Marius seemed to be a force to be reckoned with when it came to cleaning.</p><p>“We’ve got to clean the castle, now, now, <em>now</em> people -- I want this place looking like Disney On Ice in <em>one</em> minute,” he said, chasing Courfeyrac, who was carrying dirty bedsheets. “Courfeyrac, if you haven’t made your bed, throw it away, it’s too late to make it now…”</p><p>“These are Grantaire’s, but okay,” Courfeyrac mumbled, tossing them into the washbin. </p><p>“Get rid of the couches, people can’t know we <em>sit,”</em> Marius continued, pushing furniture. “This chair needs to be pushed <em>in</em> -- there can be no sign of <em>living</em> in this castle, I don’t care if we have to throw everything out. I want this place to look like a Mediterranean fusion restaurant by noon.” He picked up a broom and started yelling.<br/>“I worry about him sometimes,” Eponine whispered to Feuilly, who had just come in. </p><p>“Eponine, we cannot have beds -- we need more pillows. I cannot stress this enough, I need those things looking <em>pumped,</em> I need those things looking <em>fluffed,</em> I want the privies to look like those chairs from that action play we once saw.” He grabbed a selection of objects out of a cabinet. “We need more birdfeeders, I need a birdfeeder at every window. Knobs, Jehan, put seashells on the doorknobs -- We can’t have clothes, we’re objects, everyone takes off the clothes.” Marius picked up a towel in one of the privies. “This is a <em>dish</em> towel, we need a <em>hand</em> towel. What are we, barbarians--?” he looked at the time, “--but it’s too late.”</p><p>Musichetta heard a noise and thought she would go investigate, then saw Marius furiously cleaning a broom and thought better of the idea. “I don’t want to get involved.”</p><p>“Uh-oh, Bahorel, there’s muffins on the counter, muffins on the--ah! This is an outrage! We have to go to the witness protection program, folks. Okay, Marius to the rescue <em>again,”</em> Marius said when no one came to help with his broom. He looked around. “Where are my <em>friends?</em> I’m going to have to to do it again, going to have to pick it up.” He noticed a chair. “The middle chair in the middle <em>spot.</em> You can tell because the grain is here down the middle. It looks like we’re four-ninety-five <em>north.</em> This grain is all Willy-Wonka, it cannot be in the middle.” Marius pushed the chair too hard and the chair broke. “Oh, good, the shoe came off.”</p><p>“I think he needs to talk to someone about this,” Bahorel said to Feuilly, as quietly as he could while Feuilly could still distance himself from the flames. “This can’t be healthy.”</p><p>“Hi, welcome to the castle, we live outside, we eat mud and sticks. Is there a blacksmith around who can put this shoe back on the chair? There.” Marius shoved it on. He went to handle a mass of cobwebs and wrapped his hair in a cloth. “Yes, Cinderella, get in your butternut squash and get to flirt with the prince because you got to go to the ball. Whew, let’s go -- Courfeyrac, can we get this peach out of here?” He tossed the old mushy fruit behind him, and Courfeyrac tossed it into the compost. </p><p>“This guy needs help,” he sighed. </p><p><em>“Put them in the cubbies,"</em> Marius instructed a frightened Jehan who was putting away Grantaire’s shoes. “Fluff the pillows, losers! I want these things looking like oven-roasted popcorn bags <em>three minutes deep.”</em> He fluffed a pillow, nearly throwing it out the window. “Where’s the--oh. Who put the pillow there?”</p><p>“Marius, sweetheart,” Cosette said, taking his shoulders. “Why don’t you let us do the rest?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Combeferre!” Enjolras called out, riding through the forest. He only hoped he wasn’t too late. He saw a lump in the snow and nearly vomited. Combeferre was lying face-down in the snow and didn’t look responsive. Enjolras picked up his friend, wrapped him up in his cape, then put him on the horse. </p>
<p>Combeferre was dreaming about something, and he felt happy. He would get to see him when he got home. It was their anniversary soon, and he had gotten him something special for their second year together. But who was <em>him?</em> He had no idea, but he was going to see him soon, and he was looking forward to it. </p>
<p>He woke up with warm water dripping on his face, and he blinked his eyes open. “Enjolras? Am I… dead?”</p>
<p>“No, not dead, just a bit hypo-what’s-it-called,” Enjolras assured him, and Combeferre sat up to hug him. </p>
<p>“I didn’t think I would ever see you again,” he mumbled, “I was sure you’d get eaten. How’d you escape?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I didn’t escape,” Enjolras said, “He let me go.”</p>
<p>“That beast? That thing that took you away?” Combeferre said incredulously, looking Enjolras in the eyes.</p>
<p>“He’s actually really nice,” Enjolras said, a bashful smile creeping onto his face, “We get on well. He even offered to black my boots for me.” Combeferre’s eyebrows shot up in concern. “Not like that, disgusting. You know my boots get scuffed, and he offered to clean them,” Enjolras said, shaking his head, “I’ve told you, I’ve never in my life wanted to do that with <em>anyone,</em> and I still don’t.”</p>
<p>“Oh, good, I was worried,” Combeferre laughed, and Enjolras’s bag wiggled. “What’s that?” Out toppled the magical mirror Grantaire had given Enjolras and a dizzy little teacup. </p>
<p>“Hello!” Gavroche said cheerfully, “Enjolras? Why did you leave? I thought you liked us.”</p>
<p>Enjolras picked up the little cup. “I do like you, Gavroche, I like you all very much, it’s just that--” There was a mysterious tapping at the door. Everyone looked at each other, then Gavroche dove into the bag again and Enjolras to the door. Outside was an official-looking inspector. “Can I help you?”</p>
<p>“I’m here for your friend,” Javert replied, “It appears he has been harassing someone for the past few months. But don’t worry, we’ll take good care of him.” </p>
<p>Enjolras looked behind him to see a wagon labelled with the symbol for the government prison. “Combeferre would never break the law, much less harass anyone! If anything, <em>he</em> gets harassed!”</p>
<p>Montparnasse came out of the crowd. “He did come to the inn a few weeks ago, raving about a beast.” </p>
<p>“There <em>is</em> a beast, though!” Combeferre shouted, coming out of the house, “He was huge!” The crowd laughed as Javert instructed some orderlies to get Combeferre. </p>
<p>Enjolras was desperate. He had to get his friend out of this. He looked up and had an idea. There was a slim possibility this would work. “Thenardier! You know he’s not really dangerous!”</p>
<p>“I think I could get you out of this,” Thenadier said, “If you could do something for me.”</p>
<p>“What do you want?” Enjolras asked. If it was money, he could go into debt for the rest of his life and not care.</p>
<p>“For you join the gang,” Thenardier said. “You’re quite good at giving orders, and they’ll all listen to--”</p>
<p>“Never!” Enjolras said, but Thenardier walked away. He had to prove that Combeferre wasn’t crazy. He went inside and grabbed the mirror. “He isn’t crazy! Show me Grantaire!” he shouted. </p>
<p>The crowd froze, watching the mirror crackle and fizzle, then a pained growl exploded from within the mirror, showing Grantaire, with his fangs and fur and horns and long tail. “Is it dangerous?” someone asked. </p>
<p>“No, he’s not,” Enjolras assured them, smiling fondly. “I know he looks like a vicious monster, but he’s my friend, and he’s very sweet.” His cheeks felt warm, and his heart felt light, but he figured it was nothing.</p>
<p>Thenardier grabbed the man’s wrist, looking at the image. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had <em>feelings </em>for this monster.” He turned to the crowd. “He’ll come after you in the night! You wouldn’t want your <em>children</em> to be devoured by this brute, would you?” The crowd shouted in agreement. “Well, I say it’s time to take some action, boys. It’s time to follow me and <em>kill</em> this beast!”</p>
<p>Montparnasse ran up and grabbed his arm. “Hold on. I stood by with your crime gang thing, I even supported getting Enjolras into your crime gang thing, but I <em>never</em> signed up to go hunting. Besides, even if this thing was actually dangerous, wouldn’t it have already eaten us up by now?”</p>
<p>Thenardier shoved Enjolras and Combeferre into the basement, just to be sure the beast had no warnings, then turned back to Montparnasse and twisted his arms behind his back. “I’ll deal with you later, traitor,” he said, pushing him into the cellar after his prisoners and slammed the door. </p>
<p>Montparnasse went to one of the barred windows and shouted, “Don’t you care about me?”</p>
<p>Thenardier kneeled condescendingly in front of him. “Let’s face the facts, Montparnasse. Even your parents’ reputations were more important to them than you were. They dumped you outside a convent. How terrible would it be if anyone ever found out about you? They came to my inn afterwards, celebrating that they didn’t have to worry about their lives being completely ruined by a little brat who just <em>had </em>to survive childbirth. They didn’t even care if you died.”</p>
<p>“You clearly don’t think too much more of me than that,” Montparnasse said softly, his biggest secret out.</p>
<p>“Aren’t you smart,” Thenardier said, then stood up and left, leaving his former sidekick crushed in the cellar. </p>
<p>Thenardier got the men -- not allowing women because he considered them to be only useful for one thing, which angered Enjolras -- together to collect weapons and to go to the castle and destroy their threat. </p>
<p>Enjolras was pulling at the door desperately. “I have to warn him! He could die!” Combeferre tried to assure him that they’d think of something, but he didn’t even convince himself. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a good three days of cleaning, the castle was ready. Grantaire and Enjolras were taken to separate rooms to be prepared for the ball. </p>
<p>Grantaire was having a lot of anxiety, splashing a little in his bath. “I can’t tell him how I feel, he doesn’t even know that I’m human.”</p>
<p>Joly and Bossuet, who were there for support, shook their heads. “There will be music, romantic candlelight, and when the time’s right, you just tell him how you feel. You have to be bold, daring,” Bossuet said. </p>
<p>“Yes, people tend to gravitate towards stronger characters as a potential mate,” Joly added. </p>
<p>“Please don’t call Enjolras my mate, I don’t think he’s into that kind of thing,” Grantaire said.</p>
<p>“Why are you still clothed?” Eponine asked as she came in. </p>
<p>“I’m washing me <em>and</em> my clothes,” Grantaire replied, and Joly and Bossuet exchanged a look of, <em>how drunk is he?</em> “No, I am not drunk.”</p>
<p>“Tell the time,” Joly sighed, rubbing his forehead. </p>
<p>Grantaire turned to Marius, who was walking right outside the door, and said, “I am not drunk!”</p>
<p>“Heaven help Enjolras,” Eponine sighed as Grantaire was shaking off from his bath. She did his hair, and she covered his eyes so hair didn’t fall in his face, but when she finished, it didn’t look quite right.</p>
<p>“I wanted to try a blindfolded haircut,” she said sheepishly. </p>
<p>“Which one of you was blindfolded?” Bossuet asked with a snort. “Try to make it look a <em>little</em> straight.”</p>
<p>Eponine rolled her eyes. “There’s no way I can make this look straight.”</p>
<p>“Now, I believe he’s waiting for you,” Joly said, taking his shoulders and guiding him towards the door.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Grantaire left his room and headed for the stairs. When he got there, he thought he was about to have a heart attack. Enjolras looked lovely in the red jacket that the staff had made for him, and the lighting was excellent. </p>
<p>Enjolras looked up, and his eyes lit up. “You look amazing.”</p>
<p>Grantaire looked bashfully at the green vest he was wearing. “I don’t even think this actually fits. It feels tight.”</p>
<p>“It looks fine,” Enjolras assured him. He bowed and offered his arm to Grantaire, and they went downstairs. </p>
<p>Jehan was excitedly watching near the piano, where Courfeyrac was preparing to play. Suddenly, Courfeyrac ran a completely unnecessary glissando down the piano, startling Jehan. “Ready.”</p>
<p>Enjolras froze. “I didn’t know we were supposed to dance. I don’t know how to dance.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, I know how,” Grantaire said, “I just have to ask you -- do I have your consent to put a hand on your waist, or does that make you too uncomfortable?”</p>
<p>Enjolras hesitated, then nodded.</p>
<p>Jehan took a breath. It had been a while since they had played their flute in the longest time, but hopefully, it wouldn’t be too bad. Enjolras stiffened in Grantaire’s arms, then relaxed enough to let his back come in contact with his hand. As they danced, Enjolras nearly tripped into him. </p>
<p>Enjolras felt himself gravitate to his friend until he was pressed against him in a hug. He stopped, waiting for Grantaire to push him away or laugh, but he never did, so he didn’t let go either. Once the song had ended, they still hadn’t broken their embrace. Jehan prodded Gavroche to go to bed. Finally, Enjolras pulled out of the hug but held onto Grantaire’s hand, and they decided to go out on the balcony of the ballroom. </p>
<p>They sat on the railing, and Grantaire took Enjolras’s other hand. “Enjolras? Are you… happy here with me?”</p>
<p>Enjolras smiled a little, then replied, “Yes.”</p>
<p>Grantaire smiled, then realized Enjolras was looking sadly into the wilderness outside. “What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>“I just wish I could see Combeferre again,” Enjolras sighed softly, “He’s my best friend, and I miss him.”</p>
<p>Grantaire felt his heart was heavy, knowing that it was his fault, and knowing he could never replace anyone’s best friend, then brightened. “I can show you how to see him.” His partner frowned at him, confused. “Follow me.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>In the West Wing -- Enjolras was feeling a bit nervous, but not as much as he expected -- Grantaire handed him a mirror, the magic mirror Fantine gave him. “This is a magic mirror. It’ll let you see anything you want.”</p>
<p>Enjolras looked at the mirror apprehensively, then said loudly, “I wish to see Combeferre, please.” The mirror shimmered and shone, then showed a fuzzy image on its surface. Enjolras squinted, then gasped.</p>
<p>“What do you see?” Grantaire said anxiously, and Enjolras covered his mouth with his hand.<br/>“He’s--he’s sick! He might be dying! And he’s alone in the woods! I think he’s lost!” he exclaimed, eyes watering. </p>
<p>Grantaire looked at the wilting rose in the jar. All he needed to say was three words right now -- they weren’t Vive La France -- and he would be human. “Then you must go to him. Consider yourself a free man.” </p>
<p>Enjolras looked up, not quite believing what he just heard. “You mean… I can go?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Grantaire croaked, voice cracking. The joy in Enjolras’s voice hurt him. “He needs you more.”</p>
<p>“Oh, thank you so much,” Enjolras said, then went to hand back the mirror.</p>
<p>Grantaire refused. “Take it with you, like a souvenir. I won’t be needing it. You can look back and… remember me, though we have to say goodbye.” Enjolras began to go, then Grantaire said quickly, “I’ll miss you.”</p>
<p>Enjolras put a hand against Grantaire’s cheek. “I’ll miss you too.”</p>
<p>He left, and closed the door just as Grantaire whispered, “I love you.” He could feel his heart ache. Even though he had said it quietly, he’d hoped Enjolras would hear him and say it back. Not to turn him human, just to know. For once in his life, Grantaire had hoped. And it had crushed him.</p>
<p>Marius came into the room, twirling. “Well done, master, everything went splendidly, just wonderful--”</p>
<p>“I let him go, you can stop celebrating,” Grantaire groaned, sitting on the floor in his dress clothes. </p>
<p>“You <em>what?”</em> Marius exclaimed disbelievingly. </p>
<p>“His friend needs him, and I don’t own him.” Grantaire watched as Enjolras rode away, never to be seen again. </p>
<p>“Where’d Gavroche go?” Jehan said frantically, looking around for the cup. “He couldn’t have gone far…”</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At the castle, Marius was explaining what happened. Everyone was disappointed that they lost their chance, but they were a bit cheered knowing their master finally learned to love. Courfeyrac, however, looked out the window sadly, knowing that the one he really wanted to see would never come back.</p>
<p>He sat up. “Wait, hold on, I’m getting something--” he opened the window, cracked an icicle off the roof, and used it as a spyglass. “We have visitors!” Joly made a disapproving noise. “They’re invaders!” He made louder noise. “And they have the mirror!” This last noise sounded more like a battle cry. </p>
<p>Marius was quick to get in control. “Jehan, go ask Grantaire what he wants us to do.”</p>
<p>Outside, Thenardier shouted, “Take whatever you find, but the beast is <em>mine!”</em> The invaders began trying to force the door open. The castle staff piled up to combat, and Musichetta came to help, but it wasn’t working. </p>
<p>Upstairs, Jehan was talking to Grantaire, but he wouldn’t listen. All he said was to leave him alone and to just let the invaders come. Jehan nodded and went to join the others, who had piled against the door. </p>
<p>“Okay, blocking the door is not going to work,” Marius said, “Any ideas?”</p>
<p>Jehan thought to themself, “Just let them come… just do what the master said to do.”</p>
<p>The door opened, and the hall was silent, though was lined with miscellaneous household objects. Thenardier’s eyes narrowed. Suddenly, the hall exploded to life, and the objects began to attack! Musichetta grabbed Babet, then let him out in a frilly gown and wig, complete with a bustle. Bahorel nearly grilled Brujon, but Feuilly was getting sick from the smell of burning while he himself was jabbing an invader’s hand viciously, so he let the man out. Bossuet and Joly built themselves into a makeshift catapult, throwing Bossuet into the air and taking out several attackers. Marius, Cosette, and Eponine were simply tackling the assailants and nearly putting them through the floor. Courfeyrac was heating up some water for Jehan to pour on the oncoming ranks. This plan worked, but they didn’t notice one man had broken off the group.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Meanwhile, in the cellar, Enjolras and Combeferre were still trying to force the door open, and Montparnasse was in the corner, fuming. Suddenly, he stood up. If Thenardier wasn’t going to let him have his life be a mystery, then Thenardier couldn’t have the beast. </p>
<p>He shoved Enjolras and Combeferre to the side, saying, “Move, I’m gay.” </p>
<p>“Do we look straight to you?” Combeferre asked, “I don’t remember most of my life, but I do remember that I am only attracted to men.” </p>
<p>He pulled out a pistol, cocked it, then shot at the lock until it exploded. He blew the smoke off the end, then opened the door. “In the world, Combeferre, being out just has its perks.”</p>
<p>They got to the castle, and Montparnasse went in and nearly got decked by a dresser. “Hey! I’m on your side! I know my ex-boss is a B-I-C-T--” A teapot fell on his hat, and he caught it before it hit the floor. “Hello.”</p>
<p>“Oh, hello!” Jehan said, and their cheeks pinked at the sight of the handsome young man. </p>
<p>“You’re adorable,” Montparnasse said, standing up straight. “I have known you for only a few seconds, but I think if anything happened to you, I would kill everyone in this room then myself.”</p>
<p>“Well, let’s not be hasty--ow!” Jehan cried out as their handle was shot straight off. Montparnasse set the teapot down on a couch, then his eyes narrowed as he pulled out his gun again. </p>
<p>“No, you did <em>not</em> just test me, Clasquous,” he growled, green eyes flashing as he chased after the culprit. He came back to find Jehan and started patching them up. “It’s okay, shh, don’t cry, I’ll get you back together…” </p>
<p>“Why are your hands wet and red?” Jehan squeaked in pain as the criminal tied his scarf around them. </p>
<p>A pause. “The question is, how badly do you want to know what happened?”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Thenardier was going down the upstairs hall, trying to find the beast. Finally, he came across the West Wing, all the way at the end of the hall. He opened the door and could hear a low voice speaking. </p>
<p>“I should’ve known, Angel,” Grantaire said, talking to Enjolras as if he were there, “You don’t need me, Enjolras, but I need you like a heart needs a beat, but that’s nothing new. I wanted to be with you, to take a fall, to take a shot for you. But I’ve been so terrible, I will <em>never</em> deserve that kind of love -- just in your heart, I would never expect you to put anything out for me, that’s not what’s important -- and it’s too late to apologize.”</p>
<p>During this monologue, Thenardier snuck in. Grantaire looked up, then went back to what he was doing. Anyone with a heart would’ve felt sorry, but Thenardier aimed his gun at the sad being. He fired a shot, and it struck Grantaire’s shoulder. He barely reacted. Thenardier was annoyed and jumped on him, throwing the two of them through a window and onto the roof. Grantaire was numb. </p>
<p>“Are you too <em>kind</em> and <em>gentle</em> to fight back?” Thenardier growled, “Were you in <em>love </em>with him? Did you think he would settle for you when he could live like a king with me?” Grantaire flopped on the roof, knowing Enjolras wouldn’t take <em>either.</em> Thenardier was ready to end this, ripping off a gargoyle’s leg to use as a club. </p>
<p>“Grantaire!” Grantaire looked down to see Enjolras running from the stable. “Thenardier, if you hurt one hair on him, I will kill you!” </p>
<p>Thenardier wound up to strike, then Grantaire sat up and grabbed it with one hand. Thenardier was the man that Enjolras had told him was harassing him, and he was going to pay. They grappled fiercely until finally, Grantaire had enough and grabbed Thenardier, lifted him and prepared to throw him off the roof. </p>
<p>The old man struggled against him, pleading, “Put me down, please, I’ll do anything…”</p>
<p>Grantaire’s face softened a bit, and he pulled his opponent so his face was close, and growled, “Get out, and leave Enjolras alone.” With that, the beast tossed the man to the ground. </p>
<p>“Grantaire!” Enjolras called from the balcony. </p>
<p>Grantaire looked up, ears perking up at the sound of his favorite voice. His heart was so happy. “You came back!” He smiled, and Enjolras offered his hand to help him up, and Grantaire took it. </p>
<p>Suddenly, Grantaire let out a pained scream, nearly falling. Thenardier pulled his knife out of Grantaire’s side, then swung back for another shot, but Grantaire falling caused him to lose his balance, and he fell off the roof, the scream echoing for several minutes before it went silent. Enjolras pulled at Grantaire’s shirt, trying to pull him to safety. When he got him on the balcony, Grantaire was wheezing and barely conscious. </p>
<p>“You came back,” he said softly as Enjolras examined the stab wound. </p>
<p>“Of course I did,” Enjolras replied, neatening his friend’s fur, “You’ll be okay, I’m here--” it sounded more like he was convincing himself than Grantaire, who put a paw against his friend’s face to hush him.</p>
<p>“I’m just happy to see you one last time…” he said with a weak smile, then Grantaire died in Enjolras’s arms. </p>
<p>Enjolras gasped, then grabbed the paw next to him, pleading, “No! No--Grantaire, I will <em>not</em> permit it! You can’t--I can’t let--I… love you.” He buried his face in Grantaire’s chest, sobbing. As he said this, the last petal on the rose fell, and the objects became their inanimate form. </p>
<p>On the balcony, a shadow slid toward the young man bowed over his friend. Fantine appeared, looking sadly at the pair, and gently blew a kiss to the wilted stem in the jar. Enjolras sat up in surprise. Grantaire’s body was beginning to float into the air, and a cloud began to cover him. After a few moments, the cloud lowered to the ground, leaving a lump of clothing. Enjolras timidly approached the lump, then it moved and he jumped back. A young man, a bit shorter than him, with curly brown hair and pale blue eyes was standing there. He turned around and Enjolras’s eyes widened. </p>
<p>“You’re disappointed, Angel,” the man said, “My father Vainqueur always was, he wanted a handsome son.” He looked at a portrait of a half-bald man with gray whiskers and an angry expression inside the castle. </p>
<p>“Grantaire?” Enjolras turned his head to the side, trying to see the resemblance of this handsome man in front of him and the hairy beast that had been there before. The man smiled, and Enjolras smiled back.  “It <em>is</em> you.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I’m Grantaire, your unattractive Prince Charming,” Grantaire sighed, ruffling his hair with his hand and bowed exaggeratedly. </p>
<p>“Prince Charming was the nickname Sybil Vane gave Dorian Gray, who drove her to kill herself. I don’t want a Prince Charming. I want you,” Enjolras said firmly, “And you’re handsome.” He walked over to Grantaire and grabbed his shoulders, hugging him hard, then pulled away. “I should probably tell you now that you aren’t dead that I love you,” he added, as a side note.</p>
<p>“I should probably tell you now that I’m not dead that I love you back,” Grantaire said with a laugh. “Shall we go downstairs and show off that I’m not dead?” Enjolras took his hand and they made their way downstairs to see how everyone else was fairing. </p>
<p>Courfeyrac turned human just as Combeferre swept him up into his arms with a big kiss, saying, “Courfeyrac, my husband, it was almost our anniversary and I promised I’d be home -- sweet one, I’m so sorry--”</p>
<p>“Baby, tomorrow’s our anniversary, and you’re the best gift I could ask for,” Courfeyrac said through his tears. </p>
<p>“You’re going to kill me!” Feuilly whined as Bahorel rubbed his foot, trying to get rid of the nosebleed Feuilly had got during the fight. He’d promised it would work, but Feuilly had yet to see that, and just grabbed at Bahorel’s shoulder, trying to relieve the pain he was in by squeezing his shoulder like a lemon. </p>
<p>“Kill you? I hope not,” Bahorel said, hugging his husband gently, and Feuilly’s nose finally stopped bleeding after several more minutes on its own. </p>
<p>Musichetta, Joly, and Bossuet had been caught in three different areas of the castle, and now ran to meet each other, Musichetta picking up both of her boyfriends in her arms and gave them each a kiss on the cheek. </p>
<p>Marius, Cosette, and Eponine were excitedly dancing and twirling around and falling on each other. </p>
<p>Montparnasse, who had been holding Jehan, trying to wake them up, was shocked when they suddenly became human in his lap. “I know you! You’re that very cute boy when I was eleven that I said I would marry one day,” he said, a smile spreading across his face. “And you’re only a prettier boy now that you’re older.”</p>
<p>Jehan blushed, and Montparnasse pressed his forehead against theirs, but they stopped him. “Wait. There’s something you should know. I… I’m not a boy anymore. Or a girl. I’m… neither. That might not make sense…”</p>
<p>They looked embarrassed or scared to admit it, but Montparnasse only smiled wider. “You’re adorable, that’s what you are, Flower.” Jehan seemed to like this response and kissed Montparnasse bashfully on the nose. </p>
<p>Gavroche ran over to Courfeyrac and was scooped up and twirled around. “We’re human, Courfeyrac! I’m a boy again!”</p>
<p>“Yes, you are,” Courferyac laughed, blowing a raspberry into Gavroche’s stomach, causing the boy to laugh. </p>
<p>“Oh, we should get making breakfast,” Combeferre said suddenly, and Courfeyrac stared at him in surprise.</p>
<p>“Your husband of five years is human again, touch-starved, in your arms, and <em>very</em> much needs another kiss, and you’re worried about breakfast?”</p>
<p>“The staff haven’t eaten for years, I don’t know about you, but they’re hungry,” Combeferre said, shrugging.</p>
<p>Montparnasse perked up at the word breakfast, but Jehan got up and pushed his arms apart, sitting in his lap in a hug involving their arms and legs, resting their head on his shoulder. “You can’t leave without me now.”</p>
<p>Grantaire turned to Enjolras. “So, you know, now we’re married, that makes you part of the royal family?”</p>
<p>“Actually married?” Enjolras said, furrowing his eyebrows and smiling, “When did you propose?”</p>
<p>“Oh, sorry, I thought that was implied when I told you I love you,” Grantaire said awkwardly, “Enjolras, will you marry me a little, and love me just enough?”</p>
<p>“Yes, of course,” Enjolras said, “But… could you do it properly when you’re not bloody?” They both looked at Grantaire’s shirt that still had a gaping hole under his arm, and his side still had a substantial amount of dried blood all over it. </p>
<p>“After breakfast?” Grantaire asked, gesturing to the staff, who were trying to bake a cake on a fallen chandelier. </p>
<p>“Sounds good,” Enjolras said, reaching over and giving Grantaire a kiss on the cheek, and they both turned red in embarrassment. </p>
<p>The two of them were married soon after, and the kingdom was brought back into order. The kingdom became more of a republic, Enjolras not feeling comfortable with the idea of being a supreme leader, and the kingdom actually ran better than before. Courfeyrac and Combeferre were completely insufferable, always hugging each other, but who could blame them? Jehan and Montparnasse were surprisingly happy together; Montparnasse had quit the gang to have more time with them. The gang fell apart, and organized crime stopped almost overnight. </p>
<p>Enjolras had one question for Grantaire, though -- “Do we have to do… <em>all</em> the things other pairs do?”</p>
<p>Grantaire shook his head vigorously. “Only what you’re comfortable with.”</p>
<p>Enjolras was happy with that answer, and they all lived happily ever after. </p>
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